Wall installation

ABSTRACT

A wall installation including means for aligning and supporting a plurality of lapped panels connected by panel securing means which are concealed during panel erection.

Unite States Patent lill 3,628,297

Horowitz Pomeroy, Burns Blok Bailey Pomeroy. ll/l966 Areig l/1969 Richardson.

FOREIGN PATENTS i959 Canada 1944 Norway Primary Examiner-Henry C. Sutherland Attorney--Gravely, Lieder & Woodruff ABSTRACT: A wall installation including means for aligning and supporting a plurality of lapped panels connected by panel securing means which are conccaled during panel erection.

WALL INSTALLATION This invention relates to improvements in wall installations of nonload bearing character to cover or reface an existing wall or to provide a partition in a room. In particular, the invention is an improvement over the panel wall system disclosed in my previous U.S. Pat. No. 3,423,894, granted Jan. 28, i969.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The objectives attained by my said patent were to simplify the preparation of the various components making up a wall, to achieve an organization of a few standardized components capable of installation without special tools, and to avoid the need for skilled technicians to effect installation. The present invention attains objectives not possible to achieve with the prior system, and further achieves the simplification without requiring tongue and groove interlocks. This achieves greater flexibility in selecting the character of wall desired and avoids the adherence to strict standardization of parts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The objectives of this invention, therefore, are to provide a panel wall installation composed of' lapped together wall forming panels, to secure the panels by blind or concealed fastening means of simple character, to achieve a unifying coaction of panels and blind fastening means that will permit easy removal when necessary, and to extend the range of decorative effects than can be selected for a room or room partition.

Other objectives of this invention are to provide a unique panel wall installation system for refacing an existing wall of a room or other space which comprises erecting a series of refacing panel members between the floor and ceiling limits of the existing wall and arranging the floor and members in laterally spaced relation.

In such a system means is disposed in the opposite ends of the panel members to support and establish said members in a common vertical plane spaced from the existing wall to be refaced, and means is provided to support the panel members in such plane, said means including a series of backing members engaging the panel members in such position to be visible in the spaces between the panel members and connecting means securing the two series of members together in substantially tight or surface to surface abutment in the zone of overlap.

It is a feature of the present wall installation to erect the wall in an easy slide-together manner with the last panel acting to lock the whole wall in final position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS While variations will become apparent, a preferred embodiment ofthis improvement is seen in the drawings, wherein;

FIG. I is a perspective view of a wall installation for three sides of a room, the installation providing a vertical board and batten effect;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 in FIG. I;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary and greatly enlarged sectional view taken at line 3-3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary and greatly enlarged sectional view of a corner assembly to show the locking arrangement achieved at the ending of any wall stretch;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary and greatly enlarged sectional view of a partition wall requiring finished opposite faces and showing means for achieving ari interlocked arrangement of the wall panels;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of blind clip means for securing the wall panels and is a modification of the means shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a view of a typical blind clip element which is applied to the back of the face panels to achieve interlocking connection; and

FIG. 8 is another view of a blind clip element.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED INVENTION In FIGS. ll and 2 the wall installation is seen assembled over an existing room wall I0 (three sidles of the room being shown). The installation includes a floor channel II, a ceiling channel I2 vertically aligned with the floor channel II and coextensive therewith, a plurality of vertical face panels 13, and backing panels I4 underlapped relative to the face panels I3. The face panels I3 may have a uniform width or they may be random widths, as desired. The backing panels 14 may also be uniform widths of any variation in width to suit the pattern of widths for the face panels I3. It is necessary, in the wall installation seen in FIGS. ll and 2 to finish only the exposed surfaces ofthe panels I3 and members I4.

In erecting the series of panels I3 and panel I4 along the wall A, after installing the floor channel I1 and ceiling channel I2, the wall may be started (for example) at the left corner by inserting a corner panel 14A. The first face panel 13A is then provided with blind fastening clips I5. The left hand clips I5 engage the margin of starting panel I4A. Successive face panels I3 and rear panels I4 are then inserted in succession with each successive panel I3 being moved or slid leftward to obtain engagement of the clips I5. It is observed that on the back of each panel I3 or 13A the clips I5 are turned so that the spring finger portion ISA are oppositely directed. Thus, the successive rear panels I4 are embraced by the finger por tions ISA to draw the two series of panels into close lapped relation. The wall assembly proceeds toward the righthand comer until the last panel 13B is reached. At this point, a rear panel 14B is first put into position and slid rightwardly into the corner so it is spaced from the next adjacent rear panel I4C. Snaplock clips 16 (FIG, 8) are then secured to the back of the panel 13B so that the spring fingers 16A are properly spaced to move into the space between rear panels 14B and I4C. The panel 13B is ready now to be snapped into its final position with the fingers 16 engaged on the spaced rear panels 14B and 14C.

The adjacent wall B at the right of wall A is installed in like manner, and wall C is likewise installed in the same manner. Wall C will, however, end at the left-hand corner in keeping with the selected plan of erecting the walls from left and moving rightwardly with alternating placement of the rear panels I4 and face panels I3. In each instance the proper clips l5 and I6 are secured to the face panels 13 to achieve the blind securement of the panels 13 with the rear panels I4. The clips I5 or 16 may be distributed along the vertical dimension of the panels 13 in sufficient numbers to obtain a uniform closure of the zones of abutment and overlap with the rear panels I4.

In the views of FIGS. I and 2, it is seen that the rear panels I4 are thicker than the face panels I3 and are of less width so that the completed wall will have a measure of resistance to bowing, or will resist the oil can effect when pushed against. It is contemplated that the oil can" effect can be prevented by placement of adjustable abutment elements I7. As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, each element I7 includes a button head and a threaded shank I8 which screws into a preformed threaded aperture, or otherwise engages in the rear surface of the rear panel I4. A lockout I9 on 'the threaded shank I8 secures the element 17 in proper position to engage the existing wall I0 and check the oil can action ofthe panel I4. The usual location when applying one of the elements I7 is substantially midway of the vertical length of the panels 14, or it may be located at an elevation from the lower channel II where the greatest expected pressure is exerted against the panels I3.

The details of the wall installation above described are shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. In FIG. 3, the lower channel II is formed with a high ange 20 spaced inwardly from the exist ing wall l0, and with a narrow or low front flange 2ll having an in-turned lip 22 which is strengthened with a lip flange 23. The vertically aligned ceiling channel I2 is provided with a rear flange 24 and a spaced cove, or other decorative or plain flange 25 having a lip 26. The flanges 24 and 25 are relative long to accommodate insertion of the upper ends of the rear panels 14 sufficiently to allow the lower ends to clear the lip 22 of channel 11 and drop behind the lip flange 23. Thus, the lower ends of the rear panels 14 are secured behind the channel lip flange 23 and against the high flange 20. The front panels 13 are installed by inserting the upper ends into the upper channel 12 so that the bottom ends can be placed upon the in-turned lip 22. In the wall stretch A of FIG. 2, each front panel 13 except the last one is provided with one or more (as explained) blind clip means (FIG. 7). The clip means are laterally spaced to match the width of the rear panels 14 and are sufficiently long to have the spring finger elements 15A embrace the panels 14 to draw the two panels 13 and 14 into surface abutment.

The two series of panels 13 and 14 are alternately inserted in the channels 1l and l2 in the manner described, and are slid laterally so that the clip means 15 are rendered operative to secure then in abutment. When the right hand corner of wall stretch A is reached (FIGS. 3 and 4) the last rear panel 14B is adjusted as to width to balance the spacing established for the face panels 13. This allows the placement of the snap type clip means 16 (FIG. 8) on the last panel 13B such that when this panel is moved into position in the channels 11 and l2 the clip means 16 will be sprung or cammed inwardly and then spread out to engage the two adjacent rear panels 14B and 14C (FIG. 4).

As can be seen in FIG. 3, the space between the bottom ends of the rear panels 14 may be filled by a filler block 27 to close the space in the channel 1l. The space between spaced front panels 13 is finished by the inturned lip 22 on front flange 21 of this channel ll. In mist installations the filler blocks 27 are not necessary as this space is not usually visible.

In FIG. 4 the wall stretch B is erected in the manner already described. The wall begins with the insertion of rear panel 14A and is followed with the alternate insertion of panels 13 and 14, first attaching the proper clip means l5 to panels 13 (FIG. 7) by nailing elements 15B.

The present improvement can be easily adapted to the erection of a room partition P where both faces of the panels are finished. Such a partition is shown in fragmentary section in FIG. 5 and comprises a lower channel 30 having spaced upwardly directed flanges 31 and 32 of the same height. The upper channel (now shown) may be similar to channel 12 except that in channel l2 the flange 24 is cove formed as for flange 25 to provide a finished appearance on both sides. The partition P is formed with two series of lapped panels 33 and 34 which are installed by inserting the upper ends in the upper channel (not shown), first and dropping the lower ends into channel 30. The panels 34 are formed with blind rabbited cutouts 34A to receive one or more clip receiver means 35. The panels 33 are provided with the same number of spring clip means 36 which are inserted in the receiver mean 35 by laterally sliding the panels in alternate sequence. A starting panel 34B is inserted in channel 30 and then panels 33 and 34 are alternatively inserted and slid laterally to engage the clips 36 in clip receivers 35. In making up a partition the preferred method is to use clip receivers 35 and clips 36 which extend full length so that a seal is provided to prevent light transmission and reduce noise.

In FIG. 6 there is shown a modified seal for the partition wall of FIG. 5. Her the panels 33 and 34 are not rabbited, and a pair of substantially identical clips are used. Each clip has a mounting flange 37 and an offset resilient finger 38. When installed the fingers 38 are in reversed positions so as to become engaged and hold the panels 33 and 34 in cooperation and against pulling apart. The preference is to have clips run the full length of the panels 33 and 34 to prevent light transmission and reduce noise.

While the preferred embodiments of this invention have been shown and described, it is understood that the principles hereof may be extended to other embodiments relying on the same or similar principles.

What is claimed is: n l. A panel wall installation system for refacing an existmg wall between the floor and ceiling limits, said system including: a first series of panel members spaced edgewise from each other in the horizontal direction of the existing wall, said first series of panel members extending vertically between the floor and ceiling limits and defining a first plane in front of the exist ing wall; a second series of panel members spaced edgewise from each other in the horizontal direction of the existing wall, said second series of panel members extending vertically between the floor and ceiling limits and defining a second plane in front of the existing wall; said first and second planes defined by said first and second series of panel members being contiguous with the vertical margins of panel members in one of said planes lapping the adjacent vertical margins of two adjacent panel members in the contiguous plane; and means to retain said first and second series of panel members in wall covering and marginally lapped position, said means including floor and ceiling mounted channel anchor means engaging the two series of panel members at the same time, and clip means securing said lapped margins of said panels between the floor and ceiling limits.

2. The system set forth in claim 1 wherein one series of panel members is formed with recesses in surfaces lapped by the other series of said panel members, and said clip means are disposed in said recesses.

3. The system set forth in claim l wherein said clip means comprises resilient elements operative to draw said panel members into surface to surface abutment at said lapped margins.

4. The system set forth in claim l wherein said first series of panel members are wider than the intervening edgewise spaces therebetween, and said second series of panel members underlap two adjacent panel members of said first series, and said clip means extends between the first series of said panel members and the adjacent underlapped margins of said backing second series of panel members, said clip means being hidden from view.

5. The system set forth in claim l wherein said lapping margins of said contiguous planes of first and second panel members extend between the floor and ceiling limits of the wall, and said clip means are coextensive in vertical length with said panel members.

6. The system of claim l wherein said means to retain said panel members in wall covering positions includes elements carried by at least one of said series of panel members to extend into abutment with the existing wall and check oil can response by said panel members. 

1. A panel wall installation system for refacing an existing wall between the floor and ceiling limits, said system including: a first series of panel members spaced edgewise from each other in the horizontal direction of the existing wall, said first series of panel members extending vertically between the floor and ceiling limits and defining a first plane in front of the existing wall; a second series of panel members spaced edgewise from each other in the horizontal direction of the existing wall, said second series of panel members extending vertically between the floor and ceiling limits and defining a second plane in front of the existing wall; said first and second planes defined by said first and second series of panel members being contiguous with the vertical margins of panel members in one of said planes lapping the adjacent vertical margins of two adjacent panel members in the contiguous plane; and means to retain said first and second series of panel members in wall covering and marginally lapped position, said means including floor and ceiling mounted channel anchor means engaging the two series of panel members at the same time, and clip means securing said lapped margins of said panels between the floor and ceiling limits.
 2. The system set forth in claim 1 wherein one series of panel members is formed with recesses in surfaces lapped by the other series of said panel members, and said clip means are disposed in said recesses.
 3. The system set forth in claim 1 wherein said clip means comprises resilient elements operative to draw said panel members into surface to surface abutment at said lapped margins.
 4. The system set forth in claim 1 wherein said first series of panel members are wider than the intervening edgewise spaces therebetween, and said second series of panel members underlap two adjacent panel members of said first series, and said clip means extends between the first series of said panel members and the adjacent underlapped margins of said backing second series of panel members, said clip means being hidden from view.
 5. The system set forth in claim 1 wherein said lapping margins of said contiguous planes of first and second panel members extend between the floor and ceiling limits of the wall, and said clip means are coextensive in vertical length with said panel members.
 6. The system of claim 1 wherein said means to retain said panel members in wall covering positions includes elements carried by at least one of said series of panel members to extend into abutment with the existing wall and check ''''oil can'''' response by said panel members. 